Latest Blog Posts

Lately I’ve been talking a lot about the question of whether scientists should preregister their research protocols.

One question that often arises in these discussion is: “what about exploratory research?”

The argument goes like this: sure, preregistration is good for confirmatory research – research designed to test a particular hypothesis. However, some research (perhaps most) is exploratory, meaning that it’s about collecting data and seeing where it leads. Exploratory studies …

Imagine a scenario where tens of thousands of drones are routinely flown across United Kingdom airspace. Some of these are very large, more than 220 pounds – and some are equipped with jet engines that can reach speeds beyond 100mph. If you think this seems unlikely then you’re quite wrong: there are already more than 36,000 remote control model aircraft hobbyists in the UK flying small aircraft at more than 800 sites.

Aging is a fact of life, but at the physiological level we don’t all age at the same rate. So how to determine our bodies’ overall wear and tear?

Researchers have found that simple 3-D image scans of people’s faces can determine a person’s “biological age” more reliably than blood samples can. This technology could help doctors assess patients’ risk of age-related diseases and evaluate the efficacy of treatments.
When Things Start to Sag
To track how aging is written on our faces …

Ringworm is one of the most common and widespread childhood maladies. Deceptive in its naming, ringworm is no parasite but rather a fairly mild, though atrociously itchy, fungal skin infection that affects 300 million people worldwide. An infection with the contagious Tinea capitis fungus is usually summarily dismissed by means of antifungal medications, but for decades prior to the discovery of such cures in the 1950s, infections with ringworm and other species of fungus were as intractable and …

Think real estate decisions are hard for humans? Imagine if the house you lived in were also your singles bar, your babies’ nursery, and your shelter from large animals trying to eat you. And, while you were growing up, your food source, as you nibbled away its floors and shingles.

Moths face all these pressures each time they settle down on a plant. That may be why at least one type of moth uses pleasant associations to help with its choices. The plant species where an individual l …

For four years, the state of California has experienced a devastating drought. It’s not just a little dry—according to scientists, it’s the worst drought in over a millennium, fueled by global climate change. Cali is in such dire straits that Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. just signed two emergency measures to funnel another $1 billion to drought relief and critical water infrastructure projects. No sector is feeling the hit more than Golden State’s agricultural industry, where the shortage …

Interested in more spring themed citizen science projects? Check out the ones the SciStarter team has handpicked for you here! Or use SciStarter’s project finder to find one that piques your curiosity!

In 1998 Tim Sparks, a research biologist at Britain’s Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Cambridge started a pilot project designed to record the first blush of spring. Sparks saw the importance of continuous phenology records—a record of when plants start to bud and flower, and wa …

On March 18th, I posted a story about the other big drought story you need to pay attention to — not the one in California, which has been garnering most of the headlines but the one that has been afflicting the Colorado River Basin.

Since then, I’ve been keeping an eye on how our snowpack has been doing. And now, at the end of the month, I’m sorry to report that it’s not doing well at all.

The main culprit: High temperatures — outrageously so in some areas — have been causing …

A constant rallying cry for drone technology seems to be: “Anything you can do, drones can do better.” Sheepdogs, this includes you.

New footage shows us how a drone can be put to use herding sheep in the rolling hills of Ireland. Like many videos showcasing utilitarian uses for drones, this one also purports to be the first example of a sheep-herding drone. Paul Brennan, whose company specializes in aerial photography for farmers, captured the film. He nicknamed the drone “Shep.” …

Riding a bicycle is a great way to get in shape while getting from point A to point B. But it also can be dangerous — especially at night.

In 2012, 45,000 cyclists were injured or killed on roads in the United States, with 29 percent of those injuries occurring from collision with a vehicle. Many times, drivers simply don’t see a bicyclist until it’s too late. That’s why Volvo has come up with a unique way to make cyclists stand out: transparent reflective spray. It’s invisible by …